Would you buy a plane seat for your infant?

When flying with infants, you don't have to book a seat for them until they are 2 years of age. That said, having an infant sat on your lap for a long international journey might prove quite difficult and uncomfortable. Would you pay almost full price to guarantee your infant a seat, or would you save the money and just sit them on your lap for the duration?

Well first let me say I would never put myself through taking an infant on a long flight.....unless absolutely 100% needed.I just couldn't deal with it.I did once take my 5 month old baby, to the States, he was give a baby sleeping bag, and we had special seats to accommodate, and he slept on the floor in front of me, in the bag.That was enough, even though he was so so good.
I think if you can afford the seat 'get-it'! really...It is a long flight on international
journeys!!! Plus just for the safety issue, that really should happen.

If you are going on a long flight and can afford it, then yes definitely. Having travelled with a toddler a few years ago on a long international flight, I was glad I had a seat for him, even though he spent half the time sitting on my lap or running circles around the plane.

We started buying a seat for our eldest son when he was about one as prior to that he used a bassinet when we travelled overseas, and for shorter flights he was ok on our laps. After this age, even though he could have still sat on our laps, I was worried about not having him strapped in and what would happen during sudden altitude loss or turbulence. It's a shame that infant seats (if they were to have their own) isn't discounted more than it is.

Airlines view infants occupying a seat as detracting from an adult, at full fare doing so. Infant fare will never be cheaper! In some cases an adult fare maybe cheaper to buy for the infant, anyway, due to way infant fare is calculated.

Oh! Justine, if kids are in Business Class, you can bet a great majority have been paid for by Daddy's, or Mummy's work place! Same as for the rest of the family!
Very few Mr & Mrs Average Aussie can afford those fares!

If I had the money, I would pay for the seat for sure. We did a short domestic flight recently and my one year old sat on my lap. He was happy enough, but any longer than an hour and it would have been too much for him and me!

A fare, internationally, for a seat, for infant/toddler, is VERY expensive!

The infant/toddler just wants to sit on your lap!
Have been on flights where it's been obvious a seat has been paid for infant, but not being occupied. Best hope you've got is that infant falls asleep on your lap, & you then place infant on seat!